I ATE ALL THE BOOKS & TV: January Wrap Up

January was such a great start to my reading and watching lives. In short, I read A LOT and watched A LOT in January. Blame it on the spring semester not starting until halfway through the month and a four-day weekend spent binge-watching all the things.

I read 12 books in January. I’m really happy with my reading progress, considering my Goodreads goal of 75 and my personal goal of reading at least 100 books. Since I’m behind on publishing a few reviews, I’ll be changing up my wrap-up style a bit and be providing a quick summary of my feels for each book and TV show/movie.

This conclusion to Crazy Rich Asians was all the ridiculousness I expected. I can’t wait to see this series continued to be adapted on film.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman | 4/5

While it took me about 75 pages to get into the story, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine was such an addicting read with tons of humor, cute moments, and depth.

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith | 4/5

Although it took some extra motivation to pick it up, I Capture the Castle was one of the easiest classic books I’ve read and really feels like a YA read. I also love owning the edition with Jenny Han’s foreword.

Bridge of Clay was another book this month that took me the first 75 pages or so to get into, but I loved how Markus Zusak interwove the family’s past and present. This really felt like an epic.

Love, Life and the List by Kasie West | 4.5/5

I finally completed one of my bookish goals by reading a Kasie West book! I read Love, Life and the List over a day. It was such a cute summer contemporary.

Imprison the Sky (Elementae #2) by A.C. Gaughen | 5/5

The sequel to Reign the Earth, Imprison the Sky was my first favorite book of 2019. Amongst many other elements, I loved the world-building and the romance so much.

This Adventure Ends by Emma Mills | 4.5/5

Yay for reading more books by new-to-me authors! This Adventure Ends has made Emma Mills one of my new go-to others. I love how much this book celebrated friendship and realistically captured the relationships.

Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee | 4/5

This fun, space-opera of a middle grade read was really fun, although I found myself a bit confused by the world-building.

Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy | 5/5 (reread)

I’ve been obsessed with Netflix’s adaptation of Dumplin’ since December, so it was time to reread the book. I didn’t realize how different some elements were from the movie, but nonetheless, I think I enjoyed this Dumplin’ even more during this reread.

My Real Name is Hanna by Tara Lynn Masih | 5/5

My Real Name is Hanna is such a vivid and beautiful book about Jewish life in World War II-era Ukraine and has really inspired me to pick up more historical fiction in 2019.

A Heart in a Body in the World by Deb Caletti | 5/5

A Heart in a Body in the World was among so many 2018 favorites post. This heart-shattering read will definitely have a spot on my 2019 favs.

TV

Parenthood S1 & S2- I wanted a TV show that I could watch almost every night at school for relaxation, and Lauren Graham once again answered the call.

Derry Girls S1- Laugh-out-loud funny, never knew I needed a comedy set in 1990s Ireland

Instant Hotel– I needed a relaxing and fun show, so this Australian reality competition show about people renting out their homes was exactly what I needed

Brooklyn Nine-Nine S6-One of my all-time favorite TV shows has completely delivered so far, and I still can’t get over the perfection that is the Hitchcock and Scully episode.

American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace– As a Darren Criss fan, I knew I needed to watch the second season of American Crime Story. While I found the middle episodes to drag a bit, this story was so well executed and the cast, especially Darren Criss, was phenomenal.

Friends from College S2- I binged watched the first season over winter break, thinking it was one of those just okay/in-between shows type of show. However, S2 brought on so much more humor (I was cracking up especially during the first episode) and character & relationship development).

Movies

Black Panther– Very much worth the hype, excited to see where the sequel goes

Beautiful Boy– Very sad, very good.

Ladybird– It was about time I watched this very nominated movie, totally funny and deserving of the hype

A Star is Born– I have a friend who hadn’t seen A Star is Born yet and I more than gladly decided to go see it a second time. After being obsessed with the soundtrack since October, I found myself enjoying the music even more and I felt I understood certain plot and character elements more.

Little Italy– I love a cheesy rom-com (and not just for the pizza). I acutally wanted to see Little Italy when it was in theaters, so I was very happy when it turned up on Amazon Prime. Perfect for a cozy night in or a girls’ night.

Forever My Girl– Everyone needs a good romance once in a while, especially one about a country music star who finds out he has a daughter with his former fiancé.

What did you read and watch in January? Any of the above? Share in the comments!